Visiting in Las Vegas

For the New Year we went to Las Vegas. These pictures are from that visit. Ryan and I were pleasantly surprised with how great the kids handled things. Before, when we've visited other places the babies are very tentative and somewhat clingy in surroundings other than their own. This time though, they walked around and explored like they owned the place. They would get up in the morning, have a bit of milk, scoot off the bed, walk out the door and look for somebody to talk to and play with. It was nice. We had a busy trip. We went to Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Clark's home for my Grandpa's birthday party. Stuart and Alison loved it. The weather was warm and sunny. The neighbors had dogs and sheep. We saw a horse. There were leaves to stomp. Playgrounds. Acres and acres to run. Gravel drives to dig in. While we were there, Alison kept trying to eat the rocks. I must have told her a million times that we don't eat rocks and to please take them out of her mouth. Finally it occurred to me to find an alternate activity involving rocks. I showed her the pockets on the coat and said, "It is not okay to eat rocks but you can put them in your pockets." Happy as a clam, she filled and unfilled her pockets.

Grandma and Grandpa I's house was fun. Only at Gma and Gpa's house can you eat as many avocados as you want in your Sunday best on barstools with no bib.


Grandpa got a truck for Stuey. He pushed it around everywhere fast. At first he ran it into the walls. I cringed each time and was thankful it wasn't at my house. Soon Stuart learned to maneuver it though and sped through the house dodging corners and furniture. He loved it. Grandpa also provided the kids with harmonicas. It is quite difficult to teach a young toddler to blow but we start them young. They didn't figure it out there but have since coming home and the harmonicas are a favorite in our house. Nothing like haveing a day filled up with the breathing in and out on the same pitch for hours. (uuuuuhhh-ahhhh, uuuuhh-aahhh, uuuuuhhh-ahhhh, uuuuhh-aahhh, uuuuuhhh-ahhhh, uuuuhh-aahhh, uuuuuhhh-ahhhh, uuuuhh-aahhh, uuuuuhhh-ahhhh, uuuuhh-aahhh). Harmonica playing has become a bit of a tradition though in my family. My Dad has been the mystery harmonicaist, or is it harmonist, whatever, at work for many years. Click here to check out my brother on a mission in Brazil playing his harmonica. Fun huh?


Grandpa also fed the babies ice cream. They would open their mouths and tip their little heads. I'm telling you Grandpa is a cool dude. Alison used to cry a bit when she would see him. My how things have changed.